What would you study?

Pie · 05-17-2006, 08:51 PM

So, a genie gives you $600 million, with one stipulation: you must go back to school and get a PhD. In something. Somewhere. In whatever field you choose, however long it takes. Now, with $600M, you can buy your way into any program, and that's enough moolah to make sure you'd never have to work again.

What school would you go to, and what would you study?

SteveDallas · 05-17-2006, 09:19 PM

Egyptology.

I'd have to do some research on particular schools.

Undertoad · 05-17-2006, 09:30 PM

There is no PhD in Wine. There is however a very prestigious "M.W. Master of Wine" It requires two years of study in the M.W. program and five years of employment in the wine industry, followed by the taking of a massive examination covering all parts of wine. details are here

Only 251 people are certified M.W.

Does this count?

05-17-2006, 09:34 PM

Finish my acting degrees, though to get a doctorate it would be in Shakespeare, with my masters in directing.

skysidhe · 05-17-2006, 09:48 PM

Off the top of my head it would be Anthropology.

oh and I'll have Painting and music for dessert.

now what do I do with the change? I've got 500M left.

romuh doog · 05-17-2006, 10:51 PM

Genetics and Psychology: To find the gene that causes people to behave stupid, and be able to explain it in laymens terms so they would stop breeding.

lumberjim · 05-17-2006, 11:26 PM

astrophysics

Ibby · 05-18-2006, 12:17 AM

Hm, isn't there a PhD in music...?

05-18-2006, 12:23 AM

I'd go the Iowa Writer's workshop (University of Iowa) for a Master's in Creative Writing. Then I'd get my doctorate from the school of journalism at the University of Chicago.

wolf · 05-18-2006, 12:58 AM

For total enjoyment, Music. I would like to actually have the time to master one of the nine or ten musical instruments that I can play. I think it's actually nine. Number ten is voice, which is an instrument on a technicality.

For practicality, I would like to have the PhD in Clinical Psychology that I've been avoiding for lack of time and money.

Flint · 05-18-2006, 08:40 AM

Evolutionary Psychology - it should be a religion, if people want "answers"

Pie · 05-18-2006, 09:07 AM

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm with LJ -- astrophysics, specifically cosmology. Either the U. Az. or U.Hawaii. Okay, definitely UH.
And UT, for $600M you could get a PhD in wine. Trust me.

SteveDallas · 05-18-2006, 09:22 AM

Astrophysics would be a close second for me.

Ohh umm I've thought about ophthalmology too.

Maybe it'll turn out to be interdisciplinary studies.

[edit to correct hideous misspelling]

dar512 · 05-18-2006, 09:47 AM

Computer Science - Stanford or MIT
Jazz - Berklee?

Undertoad · 05-18-2006, 09:48 AM

I know a lot of people who got degrees in beer, but their diplomas said something else.

This is a really hard question because of the $500M left. If you already have an undergrad degree, the doctorate will take you 3 years and then you've got the rest of your life to do what you like with that money.

You don't need that much just to live. A decent but frugal life can probably be guaranteed with $10M, managed averagely. So if you "set aside" $100M for "living", you are set to live pretty much any lifestyle you choose.

So then what, well, if you have a specific interest in life that you could do full-time and be fulfilled by, you pick that one topic to study, and then you do that as your life's journey.

But suppose you were really ultra motivated. You could pick finance as your study category, and then you would have the knowledge to use that much cash and do arbitrage deals and possibly double it. At that point you could spend all your time giving the money away and become a charity celebrity.

At the same time you still have the problem of having enough money to set any other people up with a life, as well as yourself. This fact will affect every friendship and relationship you have.

My new concept is to take economics. I've always loved it and at least I would understand how all that money operated.

05-17-2006, 08:51 PM	#1
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	What would you study? So, a genie gives you $600 million, with one stipulation: you must go back to school and get a PhD. In something. Somewhere. In whatever field you choose, however long it takes. Now, with $600M, you can buy your way into any program, and that's enough moolah to make sure you'd never have to work again. What school would you go to, and what would you study? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

05-17-2006, 10:51 PM	#6
romuh doog A person with no friends is a. lonely b. friendless c.smelly Join Date: May 2006 Location: Here for now Posts: 69	Genetics and Psychology: To find the gene that causes people to behave stupid, and be able to explain it in laymens terms so they would stop breeding. __________________ If Washington's teeth were wooden, did Martha have splinters in her...lips?

05-17-2006, 11:26 PM	#7
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	astrophysics __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-18-2006, 12:17 AM	#8
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	Hm, isn't there a PhD in music...? __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

05-18-2006, 12:58 AM	#10
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	For total enjoyment, Music. I would like to actually have the time to master one of the nine or ten musical instruments that I can play. I think it's actually nine. Number ten is voice, which is an instrument on a technicality. For practicality, I would like to have the PhD in Clinical Psychology that I've been avoiding for lack of time and money. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

05-17-2006, 09:19 PM	#2
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Egyptology. I'd have to do some research on particular schools.

05-17-2006, 09:30 PM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	There is no PhD in Wine. There is however a very prestigious "M.W. Master of Wine" It requires two years of study in the M.W. program and five years of employment in the wine industry, followed by the taking of a massive examination covering all parts of wine. details are here Only 251 people are certified M.W. Does this count?

05-17-2006, 09:34 PM	#4
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	Finish my acting degrees, though to get a doctorate it would be in Shakespeare, with my masters in directing.

05-17-2006, 09:48 PM	#5
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	Off the top of my head it would be Anthropology. oh and I'll have Painting and music for dessert. now what do I do with the change? I've got 500M left.

05-18-2006, 12:23 AM	#9
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	I'd go the Iowa Writer's workshop (University of Iowa) for a Master's in Creative Writing. Then I'd get my doctorate from the school of journalism at the University of Chicago.

05-18-2006, 08:40 AM	#11
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Evolutionary Psychology - it should be a religion, if people want "answers" __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

05-18-2006, 09:07 AM	#12
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm with LJ -- astrophysics, specifically cosmology. Either the U. Az. or U.Hawaii. Okay, definitely UH. And UT, for $600M you could get a PhD in wine. Trust me. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

05-18-2006, 09:22 AM	#13
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Astrophysics would be a close second for me. Ohh umm I've thought about ophthalmology too. Maybe it'll turn out to be interdisciplinary studies. [edit to correct hideous misspelling] Last edited by SteveDallas; 05-18-2006 at 09:57 AM.

05-18-2006, 09:47 AM	#14
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Computer Science - Stanford or MIT Jazz - Berklee? __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

05-18-2006, 09:48 AM	#15
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I know a lot of people who got degrees in beer, but their diplomas said something else. This is a really hard question because of the $500M left. If you already have an undergrad degree, the doctorate will take you 3 years and then you've got the rest of your life to do what you like with that money. You don't need that much just to live. A decent but frugal life can probably be guaranteed with $10M, managed averagely. So if you "set aside" $100M for "living", you are set to live pretty much any lifestyle you choose. So then what, well, if you have a specific interest in life that you could do full-time and be fulfilled by, you pick that one topic to study, and then you do that as your life's journey. But suppose you were really ultra motivated. You could pick finance as your study category, and then you would have the knowledge to use that much cash and do arbitrage deals and possibly double it. At that point you could spend all your time giving the money away and become a charity celebrity. At the same time you still have the problem of having enough money to set any other people up with a life, as well as yourself. This fact will affect every friendship and relationship you have. My new concept is to take economics. I've always loved it and at least I would understand how all that money operated.

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